The Sun. — London, England, 1838-03-23 00:00:00

EPIRIT OF THEPUBLIC JOURNALS. We elsewhere insert, under the Lead of " Orange Con spiracy against Mr. O'Connell," some documents affording a curious illustration of what the Orangemen understand by freedom of election. The Times in a leading article yes'erdey tells us that under the league between the Irish priesthood and Whig Radicalism " the freedom of election became worse than a farce. Its forms were the means by which all free election was overturned, and the consti tuency of Ir eland openly robbed of the fruits of their lawful franchise." Now, we pray our readers to observe the manner in which the Orangemen wish to secure to the constituency of Ireland the fruits of their lawful franchise. Mr. E. Cottingham, one of the petitioners against the re turn of Mr.O'Connell, dispatcheecireulare to all the Orange men of any influence throughout Ireland, calling on them to procure subscriptions amongst their Conservative friend, and grand juro. s (mark. grand jurors !I) fur the purpose expressed in the said circular. And what is this purpose? To bring the resources of all the Orangemen of Ireland to bear against Mr. O'Connell. "It is confidently boped,",we arc modestly told in this circular, " that there is energy and spirit enough amongst the Conservatives of Ireland, and especially in places where there have not been any contests. !o wake the unseating of Mr. O'Connell ,from its metropolis a naiL"al object." The grand jurors of the different counties are even to 1.24 applied to, to further this tionel object. We wonder that an F a r_Tlication . was not commended to the Orange judges to further tile acted -Stork in their addresses to the different grand juries. The constituency of Dublin are to be robbed of the fruits of their lauful franchise by a petition, the means for conducting which are the purses of all the Orangemen throughout Ireland I Was there ever a more wanton invasion of the rights of con stiteencies ? What representative, what constituency, can be supposed able to make head against an or ganisation of this nature? A national object. The resolu tions referred to in the circular contain the names of the Committee appointed " to superintend and direct the con duct and management of the petition, to collect and lodge the sums already subscribed, awl to procure such further funds as may be requisite for the prosecution of the peti tion ;" and among these names are Cottingham, one of the petitioners, and Colonel Sankey and Mr. Shirley Ball, the two sureties to the petition, This same Mr. Shirley Ball plays only second fiddle in the Dublin else, but he was first in the Longford case, being the petitioner there. In this joint-stock concern the shareholders arrange among themselves the different characters. A. is a peti tioner in one case, and a surety in another. B. in like manner performs the round of sharacters. At the Old Bailey nothing is more common than to sea individuals of the same gang regularly alter nating as prisoners and witnesses for the defence. The Spottiswoode subscription, for the alleged purpose of af fording aid to petitioners against returns, unable to defray the expense before Committees, was going very far in the way of impudence. But to levy subscriptions throughout Ireland, to apply even to the grand juries of the different counties and boroughs in order to obtain the resources of a nation for carrying into effect the national (Orange) object of rendering it impossible for Mr. O'Connell to defend his teat, is the most flagitious invasion of the right of election on record. If this be suffered to escape with impunity—if Parliament do not resent this—the rights of constituencies are indeed a mere farce. Who can stand against such a conspiracy ? A national object, forsooth !—Morning Chronicle. Being ourselves of the class devoted to intellectual exer tion, we must of course be desirous, as well from self-inte rest as principle, to support to the utmost of our ability every proposition calculated to secure to authors a full equi valent for their labours, and to protect, to the utmost possi ble extent, the property of their creation from every spe cies of aggression. Thus situated we cannot be supposed to be influenced by any motive but the most strong convic tion of the means not being adapted to the end, in ex pressing our doubts as to the utility of the measure proposed by Mr. Talfourd for alterations in the law of copyright, with a view to promote the advancement of literature, and to protect the interests of literary men. Anxious as we are to obtain the most ample remuneration for literary la bour, we should be very adverse to see impediments opposed to the extension of knowledge, which without securing any additional advantage to authors, would operate most injuriously against the interests of the general public. By the present law, authors, or their representa tives, have a right to the exclusive publication of their works for twenty-eight years, or until their death, if they outlive that time. Mr. Talfourd proposes to extend this time to sixty years after the author's demise. Now, as it appears from the evidence of the most extensive publishers, that scarcely one work in one hundred possesses any inter,st, or would be worth republishing after twenty-eight years, and that not one in one thousand would be found eligible for a reprint after sixty years, the authors affseted by the pro pored alteration would be a very limited number indeed. A pamphlet, entitled Observations on tie Law of Copyright, addressed to Lord John Russell, is now in progress of publication, and gives a very fair and lucid exposition of the effects of the existing law, and the probable consequences of the proposed alterations. We would strongly recommend the perusal and im partial consideration of this pamphlet to those inte rested in the question. It appears that the extension of the time of copyright is so little regarded by publishers and authors, that f)r the most part they would prefer being relieved from the tax at present imposed on them of deli vering six copies of every work to the British Museum and other libraries, to the establishment of a permanent proprietorship. We do not, however, agree in the justice of the argument, that because the noblest monuments or British genius were produced when authorship was least protected, as the words of Spenser, Shakspeare, Bacon, Milton, Locke, Hume, Gibbon, and others testify, therefore authors need not Legislative protection and encourage ment. The same argument might be alleged in de fence of every abuse which deforms, or has deformed, the British Constitution ; and the greatness and the glory which England has achieved, notwithstanding these obstructions, might be adduced in refutation of the supposition that any amelioration was needed in our general system of policy. No process of reasoning could be more deceptive and dangerous than this. Genius, it is true, has struggled with, and tri umphed over, circumstances the most hostile to its action. But what has been endured in the contest ? How many have succumbed under the buffeting of fortune ? And who will presume to estimate how much has been lost to literature, science, and the general amount of human intelligence and happiness, by allowing the empyrean fire to be extinguished in " a sea of troubles," and minds, destined, perhaps, to enliehten and renovate worlds, to be stunted or destroyed by the pressure of misfortune, or the want of the commcn necessaries of life ? Great and glorious, too, as England has made herself, how much of human calamity has contributed to the consummation, and who will presume to say how much greater and more glorious she might have been but for the canker at the core—the abuses which, by excluding the people from a due participation in their Government, pre vented the perfect deveiopement of their faculties, and shackled their exertions. Therefore we protest against the intellectual eminence attained by individuals being pointed at as an evidence that authors require no further protection ; but we wish any alterations that may be made to be guided by ajudicious hand ; and we do not consider that to secure to authors, or the proprietors of existing copyrights and their descendants, a perpetuity of possession, would tend either to the promotion of their own or the public interests. —Morning Adve user. The Marquis of Sligo declared in the House of Lords, lest night, his intention to emancipate all the neero ap prentices on his West Indian estates on the Ist of August. The declaration has already (as may be seen by an adver tisement in our paper to-day), called forth an expression of gratitude from a most respectable body of men. That the Marquis of Sligo has. by this prompt declaration, en titled himself, in the circumstances of the ree..e, to thanks, we most willingly admit ; yet it does aprear old, that other persons, situated as the Marquis of Sligo is, should be found disposed to pursue a different lice of action I Twenty millions of money have been paid by the people of this country for the conversion, in the first instance, of the state of slavery into the state of apprenticeship—and, in the second, for the abolition of the state of apprenticeship on the let of August next I 0.1 what pretext can any honest man amongst the owners of West India estates, refuse to fuail his engagement with this country ?—Morning Her dd. A few days ago a worthy farmer, of the better class, who sometimes indulges rather freely with the bottle, was travelling home on horseback, accompanied by hi; man John, also mounted on the gray mire. In fording the Annan the truster fel!, when the fo'lowing conversation ensu; d:— " .John, 1 think I heard a plun:re." " Di , 1 a doot; o' that, Sir, for you've fa'en in the water !" " Weel weel, it canna be helpit—just lift me up again." This having with some difficulty been effected, the master complained that' he had lost his wig, which was also picked up. On pi oceeding to try it on, however, he cried out—" This is no my wig—it winos keep on my head. Get me another, Jahnny, like a decent chiel." " Gudesakc, Sir," slid John, "ye maun just be content—theme's nae wale o' wigs in Annan water r_ Glasgow paper. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT ROCIIDALE.—Thursday YEWS a fire b ro k e out i n t h e l arge co tton-mill belonging to Messrs. 1 ql3FAton, of Rochdale. The building was in one entire blaze ; laetore the engines arrived, and in about an hour it was a com plete heap of ruins, with nothing but the walls standing. It is not known how the fire originated, but it is supposed to have be.gun in the scutching-room. Very little property of any kind was saved, and the damage is estimated at 10,000/. to 12,0001., which is only partially covered by insurance. A considerable number of hands have been thrown out of work by this unfortunate oc currence. —Manchester Guardian. ELECTION COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) (From our Second Edition of last night.) SHAFTESBURY. The hearing of evidence and speeches of Counsel occupied 'no Committee the whole day. At four o'clock they adjourned till tc-morrow morning. HULL. William Boss was next objected to, but the vote was re lained, the identity not having been proved. The next votes struck off were those of W. Coates and John !ennings. W, Shimmelly was next objected to as having received re lief, but his vote was retained, it appearing that his son had Jeen paid the amount due for his father's ma'ntenance. Thomas Friar was then struck off, having received relief. Mr. AUSTIN applied to the Committee to be at liberty to go ii,to another class, on the ground fiat he had no mere wit aesses in town. H,r, however, was prepared on other cases. Mr. TIIESSIGER opposed the application with great vehe- tence. The Committee decided that the indulgence should be ;ranted, on condition that if an unfair advantage should be taken of it, the applicants should pay the costs which might he incurred in consequence of such delay on the other side. The Committee then adjourned. DUBLIN. Mr. AUSTIN then proceeded with his argument in support of the vote, which embraced nearly the same points which he SO ably urged yesterday. The room was then ordered to be cleared, and on the read mission► of strangers, the Chairma❑ stated that the Committee bad taken into consideration the two separate objections that bad been urged against the vote, and had decided, Ist. that demand was necessary to make the tax legally due and pay able ; and, secondly, that not more than six months' tax was due in the case of James Ratigan. Mr. KEATINGE then attacked the vote of Thomas Kenna, Love-lane, householder, belonging to class No. 5. The vote was not defended, and was accordingly struck off. The vote of Michael Dily was objected to on the same ground, but the objection was abandoned. The vote of Laurence Byrne was under consideration when the Committee adjourned at four o'clock. KERRY. At the mcating of the Committee this day, Mr. AtiSTIN, for the petitioner, (Mr. Mullins, Liberal), stated that upon the examination of the poll it was found that a sufficient number of votes could not be struck off to unseat the sitting Member ; accordingly the petition was withdrawn, and Mr. Blennerhasset (Tory) declared duty ulente.d. PRIVATE BILLS IN PARLIAMENT (YESTERDAY.) (From our Second Edition of last night.) Blackstone and Elland Bridge Roads Bill.—The object of this Bill is to increase the tolls granted by a former Act (7th Geo. IV.), and to authorise the levying of tolls upon a por tion of road (viz., from Brow Bridge Beck to the south end of Elland Bridge) excepted from the former Act in that respect. Tne Bill repeals the former Act, and vests all monies owing to the trustees, under the former Act, in the new trustees, and subjects the tolls 0-ranted by the present Act to the debts con tracted under the former Act. It appoints the County Magistrates, and certain persons named in the Bill, trustees of the Act, with power to add three to their number. Leominster Improvement Bill.—The object of the Bill is to enable the Trustees appointed by an Act of the 48th George 111., for improving the Borough of Leominster, to levy a rate, and to sell certain lands vested in them, for raising money to carry into effect the purposes of that Act. The present Bill after reciting, by way of pro amble, that the trustees have borrowed 1,000/., the whole of which is still due, and that in carrying this Act into execu tion they have contracted various debts, empowers the Trus tees, acting under the former Act, to levy a rate to be called The Leominster Improvement Rate," not exceeding ls. in the pound on the annual value. The Trustees are authorised, with the consent of two Jus tices, to excuse persons from payment of the rate, in case of inability to pay ; and it is provided that the person so excused shall not, by any reason thereof, be deemed disqualified from voting for Members of Parliament for the borough, as a per son receiving parish relief or alms. The Trustees are authorised to borrow 1,0001. on security of the rates. Lower King's Ferry Roads' Bill.—The object of this Bill is to empower the trustees of these roads to make a new line of road connecting the present turnpike-road leading from King's Ferry to Woodbank, with the present turnpike-road leading from Chester to Liverpool, and thereupon to abandon a portion of the present road. Combmartin Roads' Bill.—The object of this Bill is to authorise the making of a turnpike road from Combmartin to Bratton Down, in the county of Devon, and other roads in the neighbourhood. The Walsall Market Bill.—The object of this Bill is to provide new and improved market-places for the borough of Markets and Tolls.—The Bill authorises the Corporation of Walsall to purchase, by consent of the owners, lands and buildings within the borough, and to appropriate the same ; and also any other lands belonging to the Corporation, for the erection of a market-house, weighing-house, and build- ing3 suitable for a general market. The 1111 also authorises the Corporation at any time here after, if they shall so think fit, to appropriate any piece of ground belonging to the Corporation within the borough, or within ens mile thereof, as a market for live cattle. It authorises the Corporation to.take the tolls mentioned in the schedule to the Act, and provides that so soon as the neon market-p'aces shall be completed the existing markets shall cease. Birkhenhead Improvement Bill.—The object of this Bill is to amend an Act passed in the third year of the late King, for the Improvement of the Township or Chapelry of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester. By the former Act, the Mayor and Bailiffs fur the time being, together with a largo number of persons of the borough of Liverpool, the four Junior Aldermen of that borough, named in the Act, where appointed Commissioners, and vacancies among the Commissioners were to be, from time to time, supplied by the election of the inhabitants of the township, rated to the " Improvement Rate," or to " the Lighting and Watching Rate," in the Act mentioned at the yearly value of 10/. and upwards, the qualification of the Commissioners being the possession of property within the township of the value of one thousand pounds, or the being rated to the poor at the yearly value of 301., The present Bill provides, that in lieu of the former Com missioners, there shall be twenty-one Commissioners, one third of whom shall annually go out by rotation, with capa city for re-election; the qualification for a Commissioner being the possession of property within the township of the value of 1,000/., or the being rated to the poor at the annual value of 35/ The Bill provides that, immediately after the first election of Commissioners under this Act, the existing Commissioners are to go out of office, (with capacity for election if otherwise qualified,) and it vests in the new Commissioners the propel ty now vested in the former Commissioners. Note.—The provisions of the Bill as to the first election of Commissioners are not very distinct, and the Bill omits to state the qualification of the electors. The Commissioners are empowered to lay a Sewerage _ rate, not exceeding Is. 6d. in the pound; one-fourth to be borne by the tenant, and three-fourths by the landlord. The Sewerage-rate is directed to be applied in making and maintaining sewers, and in paying of such sums of money as may be borrowed for that purpose by the Commissioners. Note. —ln the provision as to the borrowing money on mort gage, no distinction is made between monies borrowed for the purpose of making and maintaining sewers, and that borrowed for the general improvement of the township. Turton and Entwistle Reservoirs Bill.—Abstract of the Bill :—Preamble recites the former Act, and that the Com missioners have made considerable progress in the works, and that the reservoir is now in use. The object of this Bill is to empower the Commissioners of the Turton and Entwistle Reservoir (incorporated under an Act) to purchase aMitional land for the completion of their works ; to raise an additional sum of money ; and to levy an additional rate. - The Bill authorises the Commissioners to purchase. The Bill authorises the Commissioners to levy a rate, not exceeding 301. per foot of fall of water, in addition to the rate au'.l:orised by the former Act, which was limited to 503. It authorises the Commissioners to :Arrow, on security of the rates levied under this and the former Act, a sum not ex. seeding 5,000/. in addition to the sum of 25,0001. authorised to be borrowed under the form( r Act. Mitcham Inclosure Bill.—Abstract of the Bill —Preamble states that the Dean and Chapter of Trinity Church in Ely are the Lords of the Manor of Witcham ; And that the open fields and Commonable and Lammas Lands lie dispersed in small parcels; and are. in their present state incapable of much improvement ; and it would, therefore, be of great advautrge to hare the same divided inclosed. The object of the Bill is to authorize the enclosing certain Commonable and Lammas Lands and Waste and other Lands and Homesteads in the Parish of Witcham, in the Isle of Ely, in the County of Cambridge. The Commissioner is to mak an allotment to the Lords of the Minor for the recreation of the inhabitants not less than one acre, nor more than three acres. He is then to make to the Lords of the Manor, as a com pensation for their right in the soil, an allotment which, toge ther with the before-mentioned allotment, shall be equal in value to one-twentieth of the lands to be enclosed. The Commissioner is then to allot the remaining lands among the parties interested, in proportion to their interests, with power of draining, fencing, and making reads. Portfield Allotment Bill.—Abstract of the Bill:—Preamble states, that the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the said borough are seised in fee, or entitled to the soil and freehold of the said common and waste lands. And that the common and waste lands, in their present state, are subject to continual devastations and encroachments, and are of comparatively little value, and are capable of con siderable improvement ; and it would be of very great advan tage if part of such lands were sold for rais;ng money to de fray the expenses, and the residue thereof divided and enac4ed! The object of this Bill is to authorize the inclosing of cur tain commonable and waste lands, called Portfield, otherwise Poorfield, within the Borough and County of the Town of Haver fordwest, containing in the whole, by estimation, 900 Acres or thereabouts, which are extra parochial, and not included within any Manor or Lordship. THI-4_: SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1538• PRIVATE BUSINESS OF PARLIA MENT.-(YESTERDAY.) (From our Scond Editioof last night.) COMMITTEE ON BILL—(SURREY LIST.) Mr. KEMBLE in the Chair. LONDON AND CROYDON RAILWAY. The questien of the alterations proposed by this Bill within the borough of Southwark was gone into to-day (by adjourn ment from last week), especially as to the archway proposed to cover a great part of Dean-street. Mr. limes, solicitor, called ltgr. Newman, Surveyor of the District Pavements, to prove the great inconvenience arising from, and the unwholesome nature of, such archway. Other witnesses were also called to prove the same thing ; but it was merely a repetition of the evidence given last week on the discussion relative to the preamble ; Mr. Pollock ad vocating the Bill. Afterwards the greater portion of the clauses of the Bill were read, and agreed to. The chief difficulties appeared to b 2 as to the compensation to be given to owners and occupiers of property along the intended new line. A few clauses remain to be gone into, and for that purpose the Committee adjourned until to-morrow at twelve o'clock. COMMITTEE ON BILL.—(KENT LIST.) Sir MATTHEW Woon, Bart. in the Chair. Gravesend I'ier (No. I).—The hour of meeting, in this case, was twelve; but the Committee did not assemble till two o'clock, when, after a long discussion, between Mr. Bodkin for the Bill, and Mr. Serjeant Nlerreweather against it, it was suggested that the Committee should adjourn, for the purpose of enabling the parties to come to an amicable arrangement, if possible.—Adjourned, accordingly, until next Thursday, at twelve o'clock. SUB-COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS.—(No. 2.) Mr. ROBERT PALMER in the chair. Belfast Waterworks (No. 1).—( By adjournment from yesterday.) The agent in opposition to the petitioners addressed the Committee, contending that the petitioners had no right to enter into the proof of the possession of further property than that which they had particularized yeiterday ; and that certain Commissioners in Belfast were the proper people to apply far this Bill, instead of the petitioners. The Committee, however, decided that the petitioners had a right to go into the proof of such additional property, acccording to the understanding on the adjournment of the case yesterday. The agent for the petition then entered into the particulars of such additional property, the net income of which was 742/. 123. Id. A long address was then heard (not by any means to the purpose) from the agent in opposition, who still harped upon the absence of power in the petitioners to obtain the Bill. The CHAIRMAN interrupted him, and remarked that it would be more convenient to hear the agent for the petition ers in the affirmative before hearing the opposition in the ne gative. The agent for the petitioners then proceeded, maintaining that the parties petitioning were possessed of sufficient property available for the purposes of the Bill ; that the pro perty was, moreover, an improveable one, and upon which the petitioners had the power to raise money by way of mort gage, &e. The Solicitor for the Bill followed on the same side, and contended th it the improvements proposed by the petitioners would be of the greatest benefit to the town of Belfast, and would also be the means of greatly increasing the value of the property of the petitioners : rich and poor would alike receive benefit from the effect of the Bill, which would be to supply Belfast with pure and wholesome water, a necessary, of which, at present, the place was destitute. The room was here ordered to be cleared, after which the Chairman announced the decision of the Committee that sufficient available funds were in possession of the petitioners for the purposes of the Bill, and that they were the persons authorised to apply for this Bill ; and that, tlierefore (except ing so far as regarded the level of the reservoir described in the section, and which we reported the other day), the Standing Orders were complied with. Belfast Waterworks ( No. 2. )—A long and tedious conver sation arose as to the petition for this Bill, which it was al. leged by the agent for the opposition to it, had not been pre sented three clear days before the first sitting of the Committee, according to the Standing Orders. It was contended, on the one hand, that the Committee had sat upon this petition on the 13th February last, and, on the other hand, that the Committee had not entered into the petition at all—but that it had been merely adjourned, along with the petition ( No. 1) roported above, by the con sent of all parties, to this day. The case was ultimately adjourned until to-morrow, without the Committee having come to any decision. SUB-COMMITTEE (No. I.) Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE in the Chair. Hartlepool Dock and Railway.—Petition for Bill from Com pany read—for powers to raise an additional sum of money— unopposed—but owing to an inadvertence respecting the no tices, it was decided that the Standing Orders had not been complied with. CURIOUS COINCIDENCE.--Peter Borthevick, the agent and orator for the West India Ph-nters, and William ilberforee, the son of the eminent abolitionist, were expelled the House of Commons on the same day—the former for bribery, the latter tram the want of a surf etent qualification. SLAVERY. —ripe whole country is in motion. Meetings are being held east, west, north, and south. Lord Brougham has cut out for himself abundant labour. He will ace more petitions to present than he ever had at any one time while representing the people in the Commons. He is now universally hailed as their champion in the Lords. QUACKERY. —By a singular oversight of the Min ter, an impudent paragraph appeared (yes:erday) very pro minently in our seomd page, beginning with " Napoleon," &c., which should have appeared as an advertisement. Our readers will at once see that the virtues of the Quack's recipe are only, if at all, outdene:by the ambition of Napoleon. The only wonder is that disease should not long ago have been driven out of countenance by such infallible no trums. But the age of Wisdom is not yet arrived ;—• it may i °ale when that of Puff has departed. DREADFUL SUICIDE.—On Mond a y evening, be tween nine and ten o'clock, the inhabitan ts of Head-street, St. Mary-at-die-Walls, Colchester, were thrown into a state of consternation, Mr. George Baines, a respectable tailor and draper in that street, having committed suicide. He was in an extensive way of business, sod had recently engaged the pre mises at the corner of Church-street, upon the site of 11r. Marsden's extensive Bazaar, and had removed into his new occupation on the very day he put an end to his exietence. For the last few weeks deceased had been in a very desponding stile of mind front a nervous affection, and frequently expressed his apprehension that his new occupation would not answer his purpose, complaining that his affairs were greatly embar rassed, which, we understand, was far from being the fact. Early on Monday morning his brother, who slept with him, was awoke by a noise, arid found that deceased was out of bed and dressing himself ; he app!ared greatly exc ited, and in a short time made an effort to throw himself ou t of the win dow, but was with great difficulty prevented from so doing. About eight o'clock that morning it was found necessary that a strict watch should be kept over him, and a man was pro. cured for that purpose; Mr. Partridge, his musical attend ant, advised his brother to get him into the new house as soon as possible, and that, he thought, might possibly alleviate his anxiety ; and Mr. Partridge, at his next visit, at twelve o'clock, found deceased in his new occupation, sitting by the fire, in his bed-room, with two friends. They entered into conversation with him relative to his anxiety about his new house, and told him if he wished to get rid of it, they would see the parties aed get him r ,leased from it. He replied, "It must be done to•day," Mr. Partridge asked him what he meant, and he answered, " I shall be hung." Mr. Partridge thin endeavoured to divert his mind bv,some jocular remarks, but without effect, and left him. He went to see him again about nine o'clock in the same evening, with Mr. Pattison, friend. On going into his room he found him very sullen, and advised the maid-servant to net him some tea. The man who had been with him was absent for a feW minutes, and on the servant returning with the tea, Mr. Partridge went down stair; and informed his brother how he was. Just as Mr. Partridge was entering the parlour below, he beard a violent knocking up stairs, and cries of " Murder I Come up, come up I" upon which he run up stairs, and found de ceased kneeling on the bed, with his face towards the door, cutting the left side of his throat in a most determined man ner. Mr. Partridge rushed round the bed to him, when de ceased, placing himself in a menacing attitude, made a plunge at him, and Mr. Partridge rushed towards the door. De ceased then threw the knife at him ; it, however, happily escaped his head, and struck the wall with great force. The moment Mr. Partridge was out of the room, deceased shut the door and locked it. By this time the servant had so alarmed the neighbourhood by her shrieks, that a considerable number of persons were at the top of the stairs, when an iron bar was procured, and the door was broken open. Deceased was found lying upon the bed on his back, in the last stage of exhaustion, bleeding from a wound in the neck very profusely. An inquest was held on Tuesday, when the jury returned a verdict " that deceased committed suicide by cutting his threat, while in a state of mental derangement."—Chelmsford Chronicle. DUEL AT ST. OMER.—At the Court of Assizes of the Pas-de-Calais, held at St. Omer, four Englishmen were indicted for being principals and accomplices in a duel. Cecil Godshall Johnson and Curtis Walker (the principals), both military officers, were accused of attempting homicide, with premeditation ; and William Fitzjohn and Henry Weten hall (who acted as seconds) were charged as theireccomplices. It appeared, according to the evidence, that,the two principals had both held commissions in the British Legion in Spain, under the command of Sir George de Lacey Evans, and that, upcii the disbanding - of the Legion, they went to reside at St. Omer. Mr. Johnson was decorated with the orders of St. ' Ferdinand aed ; and Mr, Walker, having worn the ribbon of the order of St. Ferdinand, wee accused by the other of exhibiting a decoration to which he was not entitled. Words ensued, and a challen g e from Walker wa s the r esult. Th e y_mee, with their seconds , o n the 22d January last, at four o'clock in the afte rnoon, at Lon g uenesse, near St. Ome r, and fought at thirteen pages. At the first fire Walker was wounded in the fleshy part of the thigh, when piqjohn, his second, ex pressed bimeelf satisfied, and the matter' was suffered to pro ceed no tarttia., Welker received necessary as s i s t a nce on the spot from an English surgeon whe was in att en d ance , a nd was afterwards conveyed to Saint Omer. The defendant, the caus n C sotua connected ia a y : hi tedetatteielden d t l e l h , pei4nrptraerbpteilcylui had a o dr a u 9k e f e s n t t i i o lip n n s tw p h heu duel,otl e t o o m a c n e d b e y d e with the affair. The trpth of this statement wag li4ewise ad o mitted hy the three other accused. The jury, .aftr a Short deliberation, returned & verdict of Acquitta . , and the president ordered them to be immediately set at liberty. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS, 31.iitcH 22. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack, at five minutes past five o'clock. The Archbishop of YORK presented a petition from the City of York, and one from Northallcrton, praying for the immediate abolition of Negro Slavery ; one from Sheffiel signed by 2,078 individual:, praying for the better observance of the Sabbath ; a petition from the Doan and Chapter of Durham, against any sanction being given to any alteration in the tenets and religion of the country; a petition from the inhabitants of Northallerton against the Births and Deaths Registration Bill ; a petition from the Clergy of York, praying for a revision of the Act for registering births and marriages. Upon the motion of the Archbishop of YORK, the Resi dence of Clergy Bill was read a third time and passed. The Earl of HADDINGTON presented a petition from a parish in Ireland, praying that assistance might be given to the extension of Scriptural Schools in Ireland. Lord R ADNOR presented petitions from two parishes in the county of Wilts, and also one from New Sarum, nuine rously signed, praying for the abolition of Negro Appren- , tieeship. The Noble Lord gave notice that on Monday next he should move for certain returns upon this subject. The Marquis of SLIGO presented petitions from a great many religious congregations assembling in Nottingham, from religious congregations assembling in Coventry, Heck mondwike, Dewsbury, Walsden, Ecclesfield, Bradford, Alter ton, Saffron-Walden, York, and other places, praying that as the planters had failed to carry their bargain into completion, that their Lordships would be pleased to liberate the Negro Apprentices. Lord LYND HURST presented a petition from Chester, Burtonheacl, in the county of Chester, and the congregations of a great number of religious places of worship in Liverpool, praying for the immediate abolition of Negro Apprenticeship. The Noble and Learned Lord wished to know from the Noble Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he meant to proceed with his Bill at present, or whether it would not be better for him to postpone the further consideration of it until his Noble and Learned Friend's (Lord Brougham's) Bill came up for a second reading, as that Bill might, perhaps, supersede the ne cessity of the Noble Lord's. Lord GLE NE LG did not see the necessity of uniting the two Bills. This was an independent measure, and whether the other Bill should pass or not he was of opinion that his Bill ought to be passed without delay. Lord L YNDH UR ST hoped if that were to be so, that their Lordships would not be considered to have pledged them selves to that Bill, when they came to the consideration of his Noble and Learned Friend's.—( Hear, hear.) Lord BROUGHAM was glad to hear the last ob servation which was made by his Noble and Learned Friend. It removed his objection to go on at present with the Noble Lord's Bill. He considered that Bill so ineffectual, that he would much rather have had the further consideration of it put off; but if it was not to preclude any ono from taking his own course afterwards, that made all the difference in the world. Lord GLENELG considered that as a natural consequence, even from the conduct of his Noble and Learned Friend him self, who at the moment he stated he agreed to the considera tion of this Bill, gave notice of his own Bill. The Bishop of EXETER gave notice that he should to morrow move that there be laid before that House a copy of any dispatch between the late Colonial Secretary and her Majesty's Governor at Malta, relative to the appointment of the Bishop of Malta to the Governorship of that Island. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave notice that he should to-morrow move the second reading of the Quakers' and Morsvians' Bill. Lord WH A IZNCLIFFE gave notice that he should to morrow move fora copy of the correspondence between the Poor-law Commissioners and the Board of Guardians of the Windsor Union, as we understood. The Earl of H ADDINGTON wished to know from the President of the Council, whether there would be any objec tion to the reports and documents relative to the late disaster at Mullingar being laid on the table. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that there bad been so much confliction between the statements of the different documents and parties relative to that affair, that the Lord- Lieutenant had ordered an investigation to take place, and during that investigation it would be inconvenient to produce the papers. The Noble Marquis would take that opportunity of stating that he had received petitions from different parts of Ireland against the Irish Poor-law Bill, and the only reason he had not presented them was, that it would be irregular to do so, because the Bill was not before the House. The parties who had so far honoured him as to entrust him with those petitions, might depend upon his presenting them as soon as he could do so regularly. The Earl of RIPON wished to know whether there would be any objection on the part of the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies to lay on the table of the House the docu ments he had received from Canada relative to the state of those Colonies ? Lord GLEN ELG said there would be no objection to lay them on the table. SLAVE TRADE BILL. On the motion of Lord GLENELO, the House went into Committee on the West India Bill. The Marquis of SLIGO, in rising for the purpose of moving an amendment to the Ist clause, said that he would take that opportunity of stating the reasons why he had al tered his opinions with respect to the apprenticeship system. Some time since certain individuals waited on him, for the purpose of requesting him to extend the privileges of the ne gres with respect to apprenticeship. He said at that time he could not do so, but would endeavour to amend, by legislative means, the condition of the negro apprentices. Those individuals persevered, and the result was, that the country was now in such a state as to render it impossible any longer to deny entire emancipation to the negroes. The Noble Marquis then read extracts from several letters he had received, stating the utter impossibility of continuing any longer the negroes in bondage. The Noble Marquis read, amongst the other extracts, one from a letter which he had received from a member of the Baptist Communion in Jamaica, to the effect that if he eman cipated his slaves, before the time appointed by Act, he would find Jamaica too hot for him.—( A laugh.) But he ( Lord S.) was happy to say (as we understood) that every member of the Baptist Communion in that island had emanci pated the slaves.--( Hear, hear.) Another letter stated that the greatest anxiety prevailed amongst the apprentices, to know whether their young Queen would enfranchise them on the Ist of August next; and that if non-prandial apprentices were not on that day enfranchised, the greatest dissatisfaction and dis turbance would prevail. The non-prmdial would not be benefited in that case by their emancipation. They would be banished from the estates, lest their presence and the contrast of their free condition would have a dangerous effect upon their less fortunate , brethren. Another letter stated that every thing was done to irritate, annoy, and injure the apprentices.— ( Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis also read a message from the Governor to the House of Assembly, on the subject of the treatment of apprentices which he said gave him the ut most gratification, and increased his confidence in her Majesty's Government, Under all the circumstances, ho did not think that the Legislature could safely protract the ap prehticeship beyond the Ist of August. The greatest excitement prevailed throughout all the West Indian Colonies.—( Hear, hear.) There was not a petition that came before the House but was heard of by the negroes —there was not an incident that occurred at Exeter Hall but was heard of by them. For his own part he did not preach what he would not practice, and whether the Bill passed or no:, there should be no slave on his estate after the first of August. From that time he should have no claim upon the negroes, but they should have every claim on him for past services.—( Hear, hear.) He would only suggest two slight amendments on the first clause—one was to leave out the words " by and with the advice of the Council"—the second was to insert these words, " that the negroes should leave off work at 12 o'clock on Friday." After a few words from Lord GLENELO and Lord RIPON, the clause, as amended, was agreed to, as was also the 4th clause. Clauses 5,6, and 7, after a few verbal amendments, wero agreed to. Lord GLENELG moved the introduction of a clause for the purpose of imposing a fine upon the keepers of Houses of Cur rection who should omit to advertise the names of the runaway apprentices confined therein.—Agreed to. On clause 8 being read, The Marquis of SLIGO moved the omission of the words " within the district in which he resides," which restricted the special Justices from visiting any Houses of Correction, unless those within his district. The clause as amended was agreed to. On clause 9, which provided for the treatment of persons confined iu hospital being read, Lord SLIGO moved the insertion of a proviso to prohibit the doors of such hospital being locked or otherwise secured. He could assure their Lordships that the grossest abuses pre vailed in these hospitals while the apprentices were under sanitory treatment. After a short discussion the amendment was withdrawn, and the clause agreed to. , Upon clause 10 being called on, The Marquis of SLIGO objected to the clause. After some observations from Lord Glenelg, Lord Wharn cliffe, Lord Lyndhurst, aril the Lord Chancellor, the clause with a few amendments was agreed to. Clause 11 was agreed to. Upon clause 12, Tho Duke of RICHMOND said that be had received an account that certain apprentices at the Cape had been forced be) ond the English jurisdiction, and there detained in a state of slavery. He wished to ask the Noble Lord (Lord (Gle nelg) whether he had received any information on the subject ? Lord GLENELG said that he had not. The Duke of RICHMOND said that he only mentioned the matter for the purpose of suggesting the insertion of a clause which would at once declare such apprentices free when they returned to the settlement. Lord GLENELG said that, after this year, there would be no apprenticeship at the Cape. Lord WEI AIiNCLIFFE, in the same clause, suggested the propriety of giving the planter, in any case where a ma nager or overseer had been guilty of maltreatment, so as to occasion the loss of an apprentice, the right to recover the yr t lue by an action of debt against such manager. Lord Gt LENEIG said that lie . wogia consider the sug gestion of the Noble Lord previous to the bringing up of the . , • lieport. The clause was then agreed to. Clauses 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and the preamble were re spectively agreed to. The Marquis of NQRTII AMP lON enneltatnlatecl the House 9,u hormg proceeded thus far with the Bill. He tbought4 however, that Parliament might do more, end he would sug oft that it might be possible to have a squadron on the coast of Africa, combined of English, French, Dutch, and American ships, to be commanded in rotation by the senior captain of the respective flags. This, he thought, would tend greatly to put down the slave trade, by the composition of the squad ron itself removing any feeling of jealousy between the diffe rent nations. . . The House then resumed, and the Bill was reported with amendments to the House.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MAiren 22 In consequence of the Ballots the Gallery did not open till half-pttst Four o'clock, previous to which we understand that Lord Mat cus H:11, for Evesham, and Mr. Noel, for Rutland shire, took the oaths and their seat. Mr. DUCKWORTH obtained leave to bring in the Lei cester Gas Bill. Mr. THORNELEY moved that the Report of the South Australian Company be printed.—Ordered. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from Man chester against the Grand Junt•tion Thtilway Bill. TENRY HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT BILL. Mr. P ROT H E ROE moved that the names of the Members for Bristol and Gloucester should be added to the list of the Committee on the Tenby Harbour Improvement Bill, on the ground that the interests of those important cities were affected y the Bill. An Hos. MEMBER, whose name we could not learn, and who spoke in an exceedingly low tone, opposed the motion. Mr. PROTHEROE expressed surprise that so reasonable a proposition should meet with any opposition. Mr. P. THOMSON said he should have opposed the Bill on the second reading, had he not hoped that considerable al terations would be made in Committee, which would improve the Bill in a public point of view. If those alterations were not made in the Committee, he should certainly oppose the Bill "on the third reading. With respect to this motion, he would merely remark, that Bristol was materially interested in the Bill._( Hear, hear.) Mr. LUCAS said that last year it was proposed upon Com mittees in which the places they represented were interested, but it was refused on the ground of not interfering with the Com mittees, and he should therefore oppose the Bill on the broad principle of equality between the two countries. TAMWORTH ELECTION. The Clerk of the Committees appeared at the bar with the reduced list of the names of persons appointed to serve on this Committee as follows :—Lord Francis Powerscourt, Henry Broadwood, Sir C. B. Vere, John Irving, E. J. Foley, W. Thompson, Matthew Sharpe, General Lygon, Lord Viscount Barrington, Horace St. Paul, George Houston—(all Tories). Sir U. PEEL presented a petition from the Trustees of the Britsh Museum, praying for their annual grant. Mr. NIA UNSEL L presented a petition from the Board of Guardians of the Union of llepnall, against certain provisions of the Poor-law Amendment Act. On the motion of the Hon. Member the petition was read at length, and ordered to be referred to the Poor-law Committee. Sir CHARLES BLOUNT presented a petition from Lewes, praying for an alteration in the Poor-laws. MOY NAVIGATION. Colonel PERCEVAL gave notice, that to-morrow he should move that the Report of the Standing Orders Com mittee upon the river Moy Navigation Bill be referred back for reconsideration. Mr. GROTE presented a petition from the Relief Con gregation of Bridgetown, Glasgow, against any further en dowment to the Scottish Church. Sir R. BATE SON presented a petition from Londonderry against the Irish Poor-law, and praying that there might be a local assessment made, one half to be assessed upon resi dent landlords, and double upon absentees ; also petitions from Lower Cumberland and three other places against the present system of national education in Ireland ; one from Dungarvon, praying for the abolition of the Negro Apprenticeship system ; from Antrim, praying for the re-establishment of the ten Bishoprics, which were ordered to be abolished by the Church Temporalities Bill, upon a new foundation, and praying that they might be appointed by the clergy, who were to return two names to the Board of Bishops, who would select one for the office ; also, one from Clonmell, praying that, in any Bill for the regulation of Municipal Corporations in Ireland, the rights and privileges of Protestants might be preserved, otherwise all places of trust would fall into the hands of Roman Catholics. COMMITTEES ON PRIVATE BILLS. Mr. P. THOMSON gave notice that he would, to. morrow, move that the names of Members upon Committees on Private Bills should be printed, as in the case of public Committees. MUNICIPAL REFORM (SCOTLAND.) Mr. GILLON seeing his Hon. Friend the Under-Secre tary for the Home Department in his place, begged to ask, whether it was intended to propose any alteration of the Scotch Municipal Reform Bill, in this Session. Mr. F. MAULE was understood to say, that after the recess he would introduce a Bill on the subject. CANADA. Mr. HUME begged to ask the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether it was his intention to lay upon the table the accounts of recent proceedings in the House of Assembly of Lower Canada, which proceedings, in his (Mr. H.'s) opinion, must alter the whole policy of the Government re specting Canada. Sir G. GREY'S answer was not heard. COMMUNICATION WITH IRELAND. Mr. H. GRATTAN begged to agk the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it was intended to increase the means of communication between Dublin and Liverpool? The Irish Members had kept tho Ministers' heads above water, and it was only fair that they should return the compliment.— (Loud laughter and cries of " Hear, hear, hear," from the Tory Benches.) Mr. C, WOOD said that there were at present more ves sels between Liverpool and Dublin, and Holyhead and Dublin, and of better qualities than there had been at any former pe riod. However, it was the intention of Government to put on two sup!rior boats on the Liverpool station in the course of the year. EXPORTATION OF REFINED SUGAR. Lord SANDON asked if it were the intention of the Ge. vernrnent to repeal the drawback on the export of refined sugar. (qr. P. THONISON said that the question was under the consideration of the Government. FRENCH DUTIES ON IRISH LINEN. Sir R. BATESON asked if the Government had received any fresh information with regard to the duties which had been imposed by the French Government upon Irish linens? The Hon. Baronet was going on to complain that the Government had not shown proper vigour in regard to this subject, and that they ought to have raised the duties on French brandies and silks, when he was interrupted by cries of " Order." Mr. P. THOMSON said he had received no further intel ligence on the subject, except that these duties were not so likely to be imposed now as they were before. NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Sir ROBERT PEEL begged to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a question upon a subject of some importance and one that related particular y to his own department.—(Hear.) Towards the close of the last Session a vote was passed sanctioning the proceeding with the new Houses of Parliament according to the plan of Mr. Barry. The question he wished to put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer was, whether he considered that ques tion to have been decided, and whether her Majesty's Government considered themselves competent to proceed with the execution of the work, Parliament having decided the plan of Mr. Barry was to be adopted, although the further in tervention of Parliament might be necessary, for the purpose of providing the money. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had no difficulty in replying to the question of the Right Hon. Bart. Last Session the Report of the Woods and Forests with re gard to Mr. Barry's estimates was laid on the table of the House. The Committee up stairs had decided on the plan. The House had not before it any adequate means of judging whether that estimate was a full and sufficient esti mate, and the matter was referred to the Woods and Forests. Early in the course of last Session, he had laid the report of the Woods and Forests on the table of the House. The House did not disturb the proceedings before the Committee, and consequently, the plan of Mr. Barry was acted upon as the Government considered, from the Parliamentary proceedings that had taken place—Mr. Barry's plan was definitively approved of, and all that remained was to lay on the table of the House the estimate required ; there fore they had no intention of coining to the House again for any authority. - - mittees had recommended the introduction of Bills to amelio rate their condition. These Bills, however, had always been resisted on the part of the Government. Now, when a Com mission was appointed, he wished no time would be lost in carrying the inquiry into effect. Another subject to wh ch he wished to direct the attention of the Hon. Gen tleman was this. He understood the Commissioners in Lan cashire had refused any allowance to witnesses fcr loss of time. He trusted they would have the power of allowing some come pensation to these people, who were suffering the must ex treme distress. He trusted the Hon. Gentleman would bo able to give some explanaAion on these points, and with that nnderstanding he should be inclined to postpone his motion. Mr. P. THOMSON replied to the question of the Hun, Member, but his answers were very imperfectly heard. H Vas understood to say that the cause of delay had been explained on a former occasion, as having arisen from the difficulty of bringing the gentlemen together. With respect to the second question, he was unable to give a satisfactory answer, being unacquainted with the details of the measure, but he did not doubt that a satisfactory answer could be given. Mr. AG L lONB Y was glad the Hon. Member had seen the expediency of postponing his motion during the siv.ing of the Committee.—The motion was then withdrawn. SHERIFFS (SCOTLAND.) Mr. WALLACE rose for the purpose of moving the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the na ture and extent of the duties performed by the thirty Stipendiary Sheriffs of Scotland who were paid out of the Exchequer; also into the nature and extent of the duties per formed by the fifty-two stipendiary substitutes, and to report how far it would be advisable to continue discharging the duty of Sheriffs in Scotland. The object of his motion was to save a sum of money that was now taken out of the consolidated fund. The question did not relate solely to Scotland, but to the Exchequer of the three kingdoms, and therefore he prayed the attention of the House. He would be able to establish his case satisfactorily by the documents in his possession. He regretted that the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Home Department was not in his place—his excellent speech of last week on the subject of County Courts would be strongly corroborative of the statement be had to make. How would English or Irish gentlemen feel if their Judges sat in London or Dublin, and have the causes sent up from the country to them far adjudica tion? That was what he (Mr. 'Wallace) complained of. Ile held in his hand a printed report which showed that the Sheriffs of Scotland did all their work by deputy. There were 30 of these gentlemen, end they had no leas than 52 deputies, thus saddling the country with the expense of 82 judges. He was not opposed to the salaries—he would care little for them —it was the system he objected to, as being a most vicious and unprincipled one—it was a cowardly one.—it was cowardly in the extreme, and therefore it was un- Scottish.—( A laugh.) What he demanded was, that the Judges should sit in their own Court-houses—that they should not act by deputy, but act as all other Judges did by sitting in an open court hearing wit nesses, and having Counsel before them to argue points of law, and so deciding the causes brought before them in a fair and open manner. It was supposed by many that these county . Judges were n o t we ll an d amp l y remune rated for their labour. He h e ld a R eport i n hi s h an d, from which he would stat e t o th e H ouse w h at t h ese gentlemen ac tually received, From th a t R eport i t appeared t h at the Sheriff of the c oun ty o f Ab er d een h a d 5901., while h i s De puty had a salary of 378/., th us saddling the county with an expense of 9681. The Sheriff of Argyle had a salary of 544, he had_ four Dep u ti es , an d t h e county for t h e se five gentlemen was sa ddl e d w i t h an expense exceeding 1,500 /. In each county in S co tl an d t h ere was more paid from the Pit h' lie Exchequer than in th e r i c h est an d l argest county in Eng land.—( Hear, hear.) I n Ayr, the Judge, who d e cided nothing, had 6601. a-y ear , and the substitute 3691., and the whole county paid one thousand and twenty-nine pounds a-year. In Berwick the Judge had 4491, and the whole county poi' 1,065/. alear. In Dunbar the county paid 1,059/. Looking at the whole of the counties in Scotland, 13,429/. was received by those who did no duty-_.( Hear,)--while, on the other hand, those who did the duty and had been most unjustly as persed by some Members of that House, for want of knowledge and integrity—whereas all the knowledge was on their side-- received an equally large sum. The Hon. Member went en t° say that he had observed it stated in the newspapers that tee Learned Attorney-General for England, himself a Scotch man, seemed to think it would not be proper for the professional Sheriffs to reside permanently within the jurisdiction in which they were Judges. If they did nee attend from day to day to their business--if theontentea themselves merely with rea di ng , an d abstained from c combs; into collision with other lawyers, that was to say Scotch lawyers, they would soon lose their legal habits.—( Hear.) The Hon. Member then used a most excellent Scotch phrase —he said the Learned Attorney-General must know this was all "blather."---( Loud laughter.) The Learned Attorney' Gentleman himself was empl o y e d i n every S cotc h ca se in the House of Lords, and therefore the futility of his doctrine must be seen. He (Mr. W.) k new this subject was very agreeable a _ e . agreeable one t o th e H ouse . H e should move for a Commix tee tee of Inqui r y ; an d h e p l e d ge d hi mself that, if the granted an inq u i r y, it s h ou ld b e a s h ort one.— ( Hear, lear.) He pledged him se lf t o s h ow t h at t h ese j udges wer e not only useless, but the causes o f a ver y v i c i ous system w hich ough t to be entirely done away w ith, H e h a d no d ou bt, also, that it would save to the country fr o m 12,0001. t o 15,0001. a-year, and that there would also be a b e tt er a d m i n i strat i on o f j us tice. one more agreeable to the peopl e , more consonant to commolt sense, and more rational. Th e H on . M em b er conc l u d e d by moving for a Select Committ ee , t o i nqu i re i nto t h e nature an d extent of the duties performed by the thirty Stipendiary Sheriffs in Scotland, who are paid out of the Exchequer ' • also into the nature and extent of the d u ti es per f orme d b y the fifty-tw° stipendiary substitutes of the aforesaid sheriffs, who are also paid out of the Exchequer, and to report how far it will be adviesblo t o con ti nue t h e system o f per f orm i ng b y D epu ty the duties of Sheriffs in Scotl an d. The LORD ADVOCATE un d ers t oo d th a t the enquire' of the Honourable M em b er reste d on two gro unds—re economy, the other the bette r a d m i n i strat i on o f j u stice; eel he also said that inqui r y was necessary. Hi s (t h e Lord Ad vocate's) answer was, that i nqu i ry h a d b een ma d e by a Collt mission, which had rep or t e d t o t h e H ouse, i n w hi c h Repor t t there was full and ampl e i n f ormat i on. I t was said that the Sheriffs did not pe r fo rm th e i r duties..—( Hear.) , (the Lord Advocate) conte n d e d t h at t h ey h a d u niformly performed these duties efficiently. With regard to rho question of economy, he app re h en d e d t h at if l oca l judge . were to be appointed, the e xp ense wou ld b e grea t inde t eel_ Suppose a gentleman to giv e u p hi s pro f ess i on to acc ept .i e ma ' office, lie would require a l arge sa l ary to compensa te 0 for its loss, and to keep su b st i tutes. He cou ld see ?ies advantage from a Commit tee , an d i t was better that '' House should decide up on t h e matter at f i rst. The es t a bli h ses , nient had existed for a long time, and from all of his e I S, iienca the system had given very general satisfaction. trusted therefore th a t t h e H ouse would not agree to the motion of his Hon. Friend. Mr. HUM E said his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wallace) lie c : made no charge aga i nst any s h er i ff.—( Hear, hear.) It complaint was not that they did not do their duty, but that they had no duty to p er f orm — t h at i t was a ll done by deputy. id Hon. Friend wi s h e d f or a C omm i ttee, where he we'' prove that the b us i ness wou ld b e much b etter d on e , one Chief Judge going circuits, with assistance, if he wanted it, Was it p oss ibl e t h at t h ey s h ou ld b e pay i ng 20 Judges'. , who did nothing b u t at t en d to t h e i r pract i ce i n Ed i n b u rgh i Was not practi ce t o b e o b ta i ne d e l sewhere than in Westm iote r Hall ?—( Hear, h ear , an d a l aug h . ) I t was resp on sibility t hat t J made the man.—( H ear .) This was not a new question —it I) , been brought forward fifteen years ago, a n d the same a ee swer had been gi ven as was o ff ere d now.—( Hear.) In Ire land the Assistant-Barristers went their circuits and left thee practice—they gave satisfaction. Now on the Learned Lord principle, they would be incompetent. He (Mr. Hume) sub mittedmen Noblewasa g L a o a r s d tio t a he w S or e t c h r y et o a f r i y iis fo a r t t te h t e iti H on or Depart' moot, an d that ' was not right to have an establishment of sinecure judges in 8 ,5 part of the country.---( Hear, hear.) Let those abe filled t" s office of judges be well paid, but fully competent to discharge their duty and let them discharge that duty—( Hear- ) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL felt bound to &cher° tae the system of Sheriffs-depute and Sheriffs -substitute w e a s - system which he always admired, and the more so as he ce ll " pared them with the system in other countries. Lord 1133C ° ri t ; in the time of Elizab e th, comp l a i ned that En the country was " country at that time the worst off with respect to local C e l lo and local Judges. H e ( t h e Attorney-General) thought o e system in Scotland an admirable system. The advantage so the Sheriff-substitute was, that law was thus brought home the door of the p oor man , and if any man was dissatisfied theeenet was an appeal to th e Sh er iff-d epute. He thought the re f ' me Sheriffs discharged their duty in a most exemplary me' n ee a and that no good would arise from making any change in exi ting system. Mr. COL QUHOUN—On the grounds of common ee ns e l thought the present proposition excee di ng l y o b ject i ona ble, a" bo he might quote an opinion exp resse d b y Lord Brougham,%%N., had stated that the Courts of the Sheriffs-depute were the to voutite Courts of the people o f Scotland. He felt boun d oppose the present motion. Mr. R STE UA RT was anxious to say a few words o n this subject, as he had been prevented taking part in the debate on do): Sheriffs Court Bill, having been i n the Chair of the Mee e h e that occasion. He wished to s t ate the grounds on whi ch ca had the misfortune to diffe r f rom his Hun. and Le arn e d Friends, as well as the reas on w h y he could not vote fer,,.. h , Committee moved for by the Member for Greenock. se Attorney-General had tr u l y stated that they were i n pee e e c d lion of all the informati on necessary, and that no good wool result from an enquiry before a Committee. He thought n. too, and should therefore vote against the motion of his Itie ee Friend ; but having that information, he arrived at a very before ferent conclusion from his Learned Friends. He bad L 7sit expressed his opinion that the present system of non-rest de Sheriffs ria,a had, and he again most strongly dceiaore tar his disapprobation of it. The only argument in its fae rees was, that if resident always in the counties, the She sv iv' s would lose their knowledge of law. Now if good against them, a fbrtiori it was good substitutes, who on that principle ought to be displaced ev e ryproved the PaNeeti tive or six years but the returns More the House the reverse to be the case ; for notwithstanding the rust of ululating from constant residence, they chewed that I o u. above 44,000 decisions made by these resident Sheriffs wb lute, only 3,000 Were appealed, and only 90 decisions e rri u against t be L r altered b 4, their more learned principals in Edinburgh. system thew grounds he was anxious to see the present se a e .re changed, and one resident sheriff appointed on a good s ee e d t) each county ; there would be no increased expen_s:,ma'i't, universal satisfaction would h e f e lt in Scotland. however, v ot e against the Committee for the reason b a ef e ° `,. : a ated, b u t h e tveuht be quite ready to support any measure that neighs be introduced to carry out these vie we. th e i r duties ifsa most satisfactory manner. though Mr. INGHAM con t en d e d that the Sheriff substitu tes per formed Mr. WAABURTON would support the motion, t BRIDGE OF ATHLONE. Sir F. TRENCH wished to ask the Chancellor of the Ex chequer whether he intended to adopt any measures for the purpose of repairing the Bridge of Athlone? Th e CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—(as we understood)—said , that the subject was now under the con sideration of the Commissioners for the Improvement of the Shannon, but they had not as yet made their report. Dr. NICHOL L, seeing by the votes of last night that the Hon. Member for Kilkenny had postponed his Bill with respect to County-rates from the 24th March t o t h e 4t h April, begged to suggest to him the propriety of fur ther postponing it, as there was a likelihood, that a number of Hon. Members who were interested in the sub ject would be then absent, and the principle of the Bill could not be fairly discussed. Mr. HUM E said that he had postponed the Bill from day to day ; first at the request of one H on. Member and then of ano ther ; and if he were to yield to any further postponement there would be no chance of the Bill being brought in at all. Ile must, therefore, decline acceding to the request of the [lon. Member. Dr. 1\ IC BOLL said that in that ease he begged to give notice that when the Bill came to be dtscussed he would move the adjournment of the debate.—(Cries of " Hear.") HAND-LOOM NVEkVERS. Mr. GILLON said, that as the Commission was now sit ting upon this subject, he would withdraw the notice which he had given with respect to it ; but before doing so, there were some points on which he wished an explanation from the Right Honourable Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade. Flo wished first to know the cause of the delay in the appointment of the Commission. lie understood it was only on Tuesday last that the Sub- Commissioner was to open the et:P.missi"n, He, therefore, wished too !ppm the- cause of t h e v er y great delay. in the next place, only one Qommissiotier la been dispatched to investigate the 4111ject, N ow as the weaving branch was widely diffused over the country, and as it was necessiaq the Commissioner should visit every town in whi i ch band-lcom weaving was carried on, it to make himselfthe peoplp with th e beli e f t h at o, matter of the subject, but 4!sg to miTirss way Xlo‘ nnly necessary for him re al ap,ci wraing enquiry was to be made. If only ory t , , Qouirnissioner should Le sent, the enquiry, wov a ld he pPotracted to a very inconvenient length of time. '`These individuals had been suffering for a long series of years the most complicated distress ; different cont.